40 spies could give evidence at body in bag inquest

AS many as 40 spies could give evidence anonymously at the inquest of MI6 agent Gareth Williams, a coroner was told today.

Paul Knapman adjourned a hearing into the 31-year-old's death as Scotland Yard detectives wait for the results of a fresh round of forensic tests.

His naked and decomposing body was found in a bag in the bath of his Pimlico flat last August. Counter-terrorism officers have interviewed "in the region of 40" of the expert codebreaker's colleagues at MI6 and GCHQ, Westminster coroner's court heard.

They have been passing on their findings to a team of investigators from the force's Homicide and Serious Crime Command who are responsible for the inquiry.

Detective Chief Inspector Jackie Sebire admitted the likelihood of tracing a couple seen at Mr Williams's home weeks before his death is diminishing. She said it is "very unusual" for two teams of officers to be working on a suspicious death investigation, but said the victim's secretive occupation was the reason.

Speaking about forensic tests, she added: "We have done a phased submission of tests to the laboratory.

"We are still waiting for some outstanding tests that went out before Christmas."

After a 10-minute hearing, Dr Knapman adjourned the inquest until March 31, but said it is not known whether it will go ahead then.